How to Play Apple Music on iPod Nano/Shuffle/Classic/Touch

By Adam Gorden Updated on October 17, 2023

When trying to sync Apple Music to iPod classic, nano, or shuffle, you'll probably get an error message saying "Apple Music cannot be copied to an iPod". In fact, many other iPod users are also facing the same problem as you do. Currently, only iPod touch supports downloading and streaming songs from Apple Music. If you are using an iPod nano or shuffle, or even the older iPod classic, you won't be able to play Apple Music within Apple iPod music player.

add apple music to ipod

But now, that problem can be solved for good thanks to the development of a third-party Apple Music to iPod converter. No matter whether you are using an old iPod like iPod classic, nano, or shuffle or iPod touch, you can easily transfer Apple Music to iPod for playing without limits after conversion. Today, in this article, we list several approaches to play Apple Music on iPod. Whichever iPod modes you are using, you can choose the corresponding solution to play Apple Music on iPod smoothly.

sync spotify music to ipod
How to Transfer Spotify Music to iPod Nano/Shuffle/Classic/Touch

Here you'll learn how to get Spotify on iPod touch, as well as, how to download songs from Spotify to iPod touch/shuffle/nano/classic.

Part 1. Compatibility of Apple Music with iPod Models

apple ipod models

Apple Music is a fantastic music streaming service that offers an extensive library of songs, albums, and playlists. While it's primarily designed for iOS deices like iPhones and iPads, you can still enjoy your favorite tunes on your iPod. However, there are certain compatibility and requirements to keep in mind before you can start grooving to your Apple Music tracks on your iPod.

Before you can enjoy Apple Music on your iPod, it's important to understand which iPod models are compatible with the service. For starters, iPod Touch (5th to 7th generation) are fully compatible with Apple Music. You can install the Apple Music app directly from the App Store and stream songs and playlists. This is the best option for enjoying Apple Music on an iPod.

If you own iPod Classic, iPod Mini, and early iPod Nano, unfortunately these older iPod models don't support the Apple Music app due to their lack of internet connectivity and limited software capabilities. Consequently, you cannot sync Apple Music to these devices. As for iPod Classic, it is not compatible with Apple Music either, as it doesn't have a screen or the necessary features for streaming music.

Why some iPod Models Won't Sync with Apple Music?

sync apple music to ipod error

You see, unlike iPod Nano, Classic, and Shuffle, the iPod Touch has a special power: it can connect to the internet via WiFi. With WiFi, Apple can check if your device has an active Apple Music subscription, ensuring a fair and seamless experience. But here's the catch - without this check, you could potentially download loads of Apple Music songs to your iPod and then cancel your subscription, getting all that music for free. Apple wants to keep things fair, so they've put a stop to this.

To prevent such a scenario, Apple safeguards its music in a format called M4P. This format makes it tricky to sync Apple Music with iPod Nano, Shuffle, or Classic, as well as with other common MP3 players that also lack the WiFi connectivity. So, only the chosen few devices that fully support Apple Music can dance to the beats of this music library.

But don't fret! With tools like ViWizard Apple Music Converter, we can break through these barriers, unlocking the world of Apple Music for your beloved iPods.

Part 2. How to Play Apple Music on iPod Touch [5th-7th Generation]

Now that you've confirmed that your iPod touch is compatible and met the necessary requirements, let's walk through the steps to set up Apple Music so you can access and enjoy your favorite tracks.

Prerequisites:

  • An Apple Music subscription in individual, family, or student
  • A stable Internet connection to stream Apple Music
  • An Apple ID to access Apple Music
  • A computer with iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and later) to sync Apple Music

Playing Apple Music on iPod Touch:

  1. Before diving into Apple Music, ensure that your iPod touch is online. Connect to Wi-Fi or use cellular data.
  2. Keep your iPod touch up to date by checking for software updates. This ensures that you have the latest features and compatibility with Apple Music. To do this, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
  3. To access Apple Music, sign in with your Apple ID. If you're not already signed in, go to Settings > [your name] > Sign In, and enter your Apple ID and password.
  4. If you haven't already subscribed to Apple Music, you'll be prompted to start your free trial or select a subscription plan.
  5. Now that you're subscribed, it's time to explore the vast Apple Music library. Use the app to discover new music, add songs to your library, create playlists, and follow your favorite artists. You can search for songs, artists, or albums and start building your music collection.
  6. ipod touch apple music browse

  7. To enjoy Apple Music offline on your iPod touch, find a song or album you want for offline listening. Tap the download icon next to the song or album. This stores the music on your device for offline access.
  8. ipod touch apple music library

With Apple Music set up on your iPod touch, you're ready to start playing your favorite songs. Simply open the Apple Music app, browse your library, and tap on a track to begin playing. You can also use voice commands with Siri to control your music playback.

ipod touch apple music control playback

Part 3. How to Download Apple Music for iPod Nano/Shuffle/Classic

While many iPod models readily support Apple Music, there are cherished classics like iPod Classic, Mini, and early iPod Nano that lack compatibility due to their limited software and lack of internet connectivity. This can be frustrating for those who still hold their classic iPods dear.

The good news is that there's a solution! You can still unlock the extensive Apple Music library on these older iPods with the help of a powerful tool: ViWizard Apple Music Converter. ViWizard Apple Music Converter is an indispensable software for anyone with an iPod model incapable of running the Apple Music app. This converter is designed to remove the limitations and compatibility challenges, enabling you to enjoy Apple Music on virtually any iPod model, regardless of its age.

ViWizard Apple Music Converter adeptly transforms Apple Music songs into common audio formats like MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC, and more. This transformation makes them compatible with older iPods. The best part? You need not compromise on audio quality. ViWizard meticulously maintains the original sound quality of your music during the conversion. It will also embed necessary metadata and information into the downloaded tracks. Once the conversion is complete, you can easily transfer the converted Apple Music tracks to your iPod using iTunes or Finder. It also removes DRM (Digital Rights Management) protection from the tracks, allowing you to truly own and enjoy your music.

audio converter

Key Features of ViWizard Audio Converter

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  • Convert songs, albums, and playlists from Apple Music to MP3
  • Remove DRM protection from Apple Music, iTunes, and Audible
  • Save the converted audios with the original quality and ID3 tags
  • Support the conversion of up to 100 audio formats to others

Downloading Apple Music for All iPod Models:

The following guide tutorial will show you the whole steps to convert Apple Music songs to iPod by using ViWizard Apple Music Converter. So, you can then transfer Apple Music to iPod nano, shuffle, and classic as expected.

Step 1 Add Apple Music Songs to ViWizard

After installing ViWizard Apple Music Converter, click the shortcut icon on the desktop to launch it. Then click the Load iTunes Library button to load the Apple Music tracks from your iTunes library folder. You can also import the offline songs from Apple Music to the converter via drag-and-drop.

add apple music songs

Step 2 Customize Output Settings

Once the Apple Music songs are completely added to ViWizard Apple Music Converter, move to the Format panel and click the MP3 format. Then in the popup window, you can choose the output format as MP3, AAC, WAV, FLAC, or others as you want. In order to make the converted songs compatible with iPod, you are suggested to select MP3 as the output. You can also set other parameters including audio codec, channel, sample rate, bit rate according to your own requirements.

set output settings

Step 3 Convert Apple Music to iPod

Now simply click the Convert button at the right corner to let the program begin converting Apple Music songs to MP3 format for iPod. The whole conversion time depends on the number of songs you are converting. Normally it will process at up to 30X faster speed. Then we can copy Apple Music to iPod easily.

convert apple music to mp3

Part 4. How to Transfer Apple Music to iPod Nano/Shuffle/Classic

Once you've successfully converted your Apple Music tracks, you'll need to transfer them to your iPod models that lack compatibility with the Apple Music app. Here are two convenient methods to achieve this:

Transferring Apple Music to All iPod Models Using iTunes:

Prerequisites:

  • A selection of converted Apple Music tracks
  • An Apple ID to access Apple Music
  • A computer with iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina and later) to sync Apple Music
  1. Use a USB cable to connect your iPod Nano, Shuffle, or Classic to your computer.
  2. Launch iTunes on your computer if it doesn't open automatically when you connect your iPod. Click on "File" on the menu bar. Select "Add File/Folder to library." Choose the converted Apple Music files or folders to upload.
  3. add folder to library itunes

  4. In the iTunes window, click on "Music" located in the left-hand sidebar.
  5. Select "Sync Music" within the iTunes window. Choose the checkbox next to "Selected playlists, artists, albums, and genres."
  6. sync itunes playlist iphone

  7. Scroll down to the "Playlist" section.
  8. Select "Recently Added," which contains the unprotected Apple Music songs that you've added to your iTunes library.
  9. Click the "Apply" button in the lower-right corner of the iTunes window. iTunes will now automatically sync the Apple Music songs to your iPod.

Transferring Apple Music to All iPod Models Using USB:

Prerequisites:

  • A selection of converted Apple Music tracks
  • A portable USB cable
  • A computer with an available USB port
  1. Use a USB cable to connect your iPod Nano, Shuffle, or Classic to your computer.
  2. On your computer, navigate to the "Start" menu, then go to "Settings."
  3. Select "Control Panel."
  4. Within the "Folder Options" window, find an option that says "Show hidden files and folders." Click on it and select "Apply" to close the window. This action is necessary to access the iPod's internal storage.
  5. Open "My Computer" or "This PC" on your computer. Locate and double-click on the iPod folder.
  6. Select the converted Apple Music songs on your computer and copy them. Paste the copied songs into the iPod's folder.
  7. Wait for the songs to finish transferring. This may take a moment depending on the number of tracks.
  8. Once the transfer is complete, safely unplug your iPod from your computer.

Conclusion

Although those old models of iPod are not compatible with Apple Music, you can use ViWizard Audio Converter to convert Apple Music to iPod for playing anytime. If you have an iPod touch, you can directly log into Apple Music on your iPod and listen to your favorite songs. Just follow the above instructions and start to transfer Apple Music to iPod for listening.

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